Chapter 9 of the Cambridge Companion taught me exactly where each amount of money or inheritance put you in the hierarchy of the time. Reading Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen mentions what each characters inheritance is. After reading Chapter 9, I learned that Mr. Darcy's inheritance of 10,000 pounds is actually quite large for the time. Mr. Bingley, although still considered a very rich man, has a much smaller inheritance. Before reading Chapter 9, I did not realize there was actually such a large difference between the two characters. Even though they are friends, Mr. Darcy is much higher in the hierarchy. By being associated with him, Mr. Bingley is viewed higher in the hierarchy than he actually is.
-Kelly Keelon
You could also note that an army man like Mr. Wickham would make a very small salary and that could be why he is so upset with Mr. Darcy. It's good that you realzied that Mr. Darcy is so much more wealthy than everybody else, he makes 10,000 a year and for that time was substantial.
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